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Some students are saying it’s time for Ohio to drop its one-size-fits-all policy on violent
behavior in the classroom.

The Ohio Student Association, a group that advocates on social-justice issues, held a rally
Downtown yesterday, calling for support of two pieces of state legislation that would eliminate
zero-tolerance policies in Ohio schools.

The policy sets a standardized punishment to be applied to address “violent, disruptive or
inappropriate” behavior among students, often involving suspensions or expulsions from school.
Critics say the policies have a disproportionate effect on minorities, students with disabilities
and other marginalized groups.

The three-day suspension of 10-year-old Nathan Entingh, a fifth-grader at Devonshire Alternative
Elementary School, has drawn recent critical attention to the policy. Nathan was removed from class
after making a gunlike gesture with his hand this year.

Tristina Allen, a member of the student association, spoke at the rally about getting taken out
of her high school in handcuffs by police after hitting a peer her freshman year.

Allen was a 14-year-old in foster care at the time and said it was the first time she had gotten
in trouble at her school.

“I was a good kid, I really was. I made one mistake, and they treated me like I committed
murder,” the Wright State University junior said. “I’m just one student; how many other students
were impacted by that?”

Scott DiMauro, vice president of the Ohio Education Association, an organization that represents
teachers and other education professionals, said at the rally of about 50 people that Ohio needs to
form a proactive, not reactive, approach in dealing with students.

“We believe that every single child deserves a great public education, and zero-tolerance
policies don’t get us there,” he said.

Two identical bills aimed at repealing the state’s zero-tolerance policies are pending in the
legislature, but neither has made significant progress in months. House Bill 443 was introduced on
Feb. 11, but no hearings have been held.

Members of the Senate Education Committee held a third hearing on Senate Bill 167 on Jan. 22
but, as of this week, are still looking at the language of the bill.

Jacqueline Bryant, communications manager for Columbus City Schools, said the district is “
monitoring the legislation” but has taken no position on it.